Light detection, and ranging (LIDAR or LADAR) systems utilize a number of laser beams to detect reflectance or backscatter from the laser beams to map surface features or for remote sensing. For typical LIDAR systems, each beam is precisely configured with a dedicated photodetector that detects the reflectance and/or backscatter from that particular beam. As the beam count increases, so do cost and space requirements for the individual lasers and photodetectors.